GOP sweeps gov races; Dem wins N.Y.

Republican gubernatorial candidates racked up major wins for the GOP in Virginia and New Jersey Tuesday night as Democrats scored a single victory in a special congressional election in upstate New York.

Former Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell and New Jersey prosecutor Chris Christie claimed the governor's offices for the GOP in both their states, handing national Republicans a pair of high-profile successes they hailed as a warning shot at the governing Democratic Party.

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As Republicans heralded the two state elections as major setbacks for Democrats, McDonnell told an energetic crowd in Richmond that his victory represented the triumph of a broad new majority.

"We had independents and Democrats that came over to support us," McDonnell said. "First and foremost, we are all Virginians and we are all Americans."

In New Jersey, Christie led incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine by just over 4 points with nearly all precincts reporting. Despite strenuous efforts by the White House and national Democrats to buck up Corzine's lagging campaign — including a Sunday visit to the state by President Barack Obama — the Democrat succumbed to low approval ratings and an electorate frustrated with high property taxes and New Jersey's persistent political corruption.

Corzine conceded in a speech just before 11 p.m., telling supporters in East Brunswick he had phoned Christie to congratulate him.

"Mr. Christie was gracious in his response and we will work hard together to make sure the transition is smooth," Corzine pledged. "It has been an incredible, incredible journey together, and I am grateful to all New Jerseyans."

Taking the stage in Parsippany, N.J., less than half an hour later, Christie was interrupted by chants of "Yes, we can" as he told a raucous crowd of supporters: "Hey, New Jersey, we did it!"

Democrats averted a Republican sweep Tuesday with a narrow victory in New York's 23rd Congressional District, where Democrat Bill Owens faced off against Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in a contest that attracted the interest of national conservative leaders including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who endorsed Hoffman early in the race.

Conceding defeat as returns showed him trailing by just under 4 percentage points, Hoffman told a crowd in Saranac Lake: "I congratulated Bill Owens on his win tonight, and I will work with him to rebuild the economy of the North Country.

"This is only one fight in the battle," Hoffman said.

In his victory speech, Owens joked that the district had not received so much media attention since the 1980 Olympics, adding: "I am not the miracle on ice."

In two other elections, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg won a third term by a shockingly slim margin of less than 5 percentage points, and California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi easily won a special election to replace former Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) in the House of Representatives, keeping her seat in Democratic hands.